Lenten Study: Grief for a Lost Job

I am preparing a presentation and group discussion on Grief and Job Loss for our church during lent. While looking for images on the internet for the faces of grief due to job loss, I was surprised to find at least the half the images in my search were charts, like this one. (can be found by searching the link below)

www.crisisobserver.com/picture-of-the-day/

I'm sure these statistics are correct and believe the organization posting this chart had only the intention of presenting facts to help inform the public about the state of our economy. I would be more than glad to take it off my blog if asked. There are plenty others to put in its place.

However (you knew that was coming!), the chart doesn't tell the story of human loss due to job layoffs. I suspect we all know someone affected by job loss, and it's heart-wrenching. All those lines on the graph sit on the heads of grieving distressed families.

Worry in the Workplace

Someone close to me is going through a very anxious time. The "not knowing" what's going on, the sense of helplessness is overpowering! "What did I do wrong?" How can we offer someone in this situation comfort?

I didn't make up these thoughts on my own, but listened to others, read a lot, and reflected for hours on end and have landed on my personal approach, which comes from my wounded heart:

Don't tell people things like "it'll be all right" or "when one door closes, another opens". Saying things like this is very impersonal, trite, and in fact may not be true. How do you know things will be all right? What does that mean anyway?

Instead draw on your own experience internally. You know what YOU feel like in your situation. At the same time resist the urge to say "I know what you're going through." Do you know what they are going through? Probably not. Rather use those feelings to be an empathetic listener.

People are usually uncomfortable being around someone going through an employment loss or reduction. But you can be there for them, no matter how much they talk or how many times they say the same thing over and over. Listen to their story.